ALTON/MADISON COUNTY Win P.B.P.A. State

Seventeen Police Teams Via For State Title In Aurora

Aurora: Seventeen police teams gathered at the Eola Complex in Aurora to play the 2002 19th Annual Police Benevolent & Protective Association Softball Tournament with Alton/Madison County (Madco) did not provide I.S.R. with any details but from the bracket board the following was learned. Madco (5-0), the defending champion swept the field to win the title.
They opened play with a win over Rockford A in the first round of play. Madco improved to 2-0 on Saturday with a win over Aurora C in the second round of action.
On Sunday Madco picked up where they left off with a win over Springfield A in the semifinals of the winners bracket. Madco won the winners bracket when they posted a win over Peoria B in the winners bracket championship game.
The tournament title game was all Madco as they deposed of a tired Aurora Police A unit 11-0 in six inning to defend their state title in the Illinois Benevolent & Protective Association State Police Softball Tournament.
Aurora Blue (A) lost their first game to Decatur 6-7. APD made the game close with a 4 run rally with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. APD was lead by Bill Vogel who went 2-3 with two singles. Vogel started the seventh inning rally with his second single of the day. John Gibson hit a huge double with two outs in the seventh inning to keep Aurora in the game. David Adams had a pinch hit single with two outs, followed by an RBI single by Rick Ahlgren who went 2-4.
In their second game of the day Aurora Blue edged Normal 12-8. As Brian Pierce batting leadoff, going 3-3 led the way. Chad Kubis add a 3-4 effort with Vogel going 2-2 with Todd Edwards and Gibson both adding 2-3 efforts at the plate during this win.
On Sunday morning Aurora Blue (A-team) was facing Aurora C team with Aurora Blue winning a hard-hitting battle 21-20 over APD C team. APD blue had homers by Mark Johnson, Joe Groom, Vogel, and Edwards. The Aurora C team appeared to be rallying in the bottom of the seventh with two leadoff singles, before APD Blue's Edwards turned a double play by stepping on third, and gunning the hitter down at first. The game ended with the tying run on second base.
Aurora Blue got rolling as they beat Elgin A by ten run rule in five innings by a score of
17-6. APD had big game from Groom who went 2-3 with a home run, Kubis also went 2-3, Paul Ivanyi had a pinch hit RBI single in the fourth inning, Edwards went 3-4 and Adams added 2-3 with two doubles.
Aurora Blue beat Belleville 17-6 to up their record to 4-1 in this tournament as Johnson led the way going 3-4 with a triple, & a home run. Kubis also went 3-4, and with 2 HR's and Vogel went 4-4 to help out the winning cause.
Aurora Blue beat Springfield 20-7 as Aurora opened the game with a seven spot in the first inning and never looked back. Kubis stroked two run home runs going 3-4, as Edwards went 2-3. Gibson, added a 3-3 effort in this game, Adams had a bases loaded triple, Johnson went 2 for 3 including a three run home run with both Groom and Vogel each adding 3-3 efforts at the dish during this win.
The Aurora Blue squad won the losers bracket with a 15-8 win over Peoria as they score eight runs in the top of the seventh inning to break the game open. Vogel led the way going 4-4 as Kubis kept APD in the game by gunning down two runners at home plate.

The championship game was all Madco as APD lost to them 11-0 in six inning. In the
losing effort Johnson went 3 for 3.
Team spokesman David Adams said, "Mike Langston really helped keep APD team A in the tournament, by pitching great in all eight tournament games." He went on to say, "It was really great to have our chief out here at the tournament site supporting all three of our teams. I'm not sure some of our past chiefs would have taken the time and all of the APD teams appreciated his effort on our behalf."

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